⌛ Homo antecessor ate its own kind...

In Spain's Gran Dolina, researchers have uncovered 24 new Homo antecessor fossils. Cut marks show that members of this species likely fell victim to cannibalism. The remains provide researchers with more information about their bodies, ages, and behavior, while the site itself offers a better unders...

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🚀 Mars' Black Beauty turns out to be full of water

A meteorite from the Sahara turns out to contain far more water than previously thought. The rock, Black Beauty, originally came from Mars and is about 4.5 billion years old. New scans show that more than 0.5 percent of the rock consists of water-bearing minerals. That provides new clues about Mars'...

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🧪 Beyer Krypto: pure analog encryption! 📖

The Beyer Krypto was a Danish encryption device shaped like a pocket watch. Two rotating disks transformed ordinary text into ciphertext. Its creators claimed the system was (almost) unbreakable, but its key space turned out to be limited. As a result, the device is now valued as both a pioneering a...

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🚀 NASA extends the Voyager 2 mission... yet again!

NASA has gained extra time for Voyager 2 with a new power switch. The spacecraft has been traveling for nearly fifty years and uses heat from plutonium to generate electricity. These systems are especially useful where solar panels receive too little sunlight. Three instruments can now remain operat...

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⌛ The unique architectural style of Paramaribo 📖

Paramaribo was once known for its wooden houses, shaped by major influences from different countries. Their architecture was adapted to heat, humidity, and heavy rainfall. Local hardwoods made fast and durable construction possible. Much of this distinctive cityscape has now disappeared due to poor...

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🧪 Plant-based eating protects your heart

A major study followed more than 65,000 women after menopause. Women who ate more plant-based foods were found to have a much lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Even small improvements in their eating habits appeared to provide benefits. The study shows an association, but it does not prove a dir...

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🚀 Webb is blind to vast amounts of water

Webb may not detect all the water on certain hot mini-Neptunes. Water and hydrogen can separate from one another deep inside these planets, but the telescope remains blind to it. As a result, the upper atmosphere appears drier than the planet actually is. New models should therefore also take the de...

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⌛ The beaches of D-Day are now a World Heritage Site

The five D-Day beaches in Normandy have officially been added to UNESCO's World Heritage List. It was here that hundreds of thousands of Allied troops landed in June 1944. That operation marked the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe. The new status is intended to help better protect both...

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⌛ Suriname, a financial drain - not a cash cow? 📖

Contrary to what many people think and claim, Suriname was always a money-losing venture for the Netherlands. Some individuals did manage to turn a profit, but the colony itself produced nothing but red ink. The high costs far outweighed the alleged proceeds. The past therefore requires more nuance...

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🧪 This pill could stop the spread of measles

During a recent study involving ferrets, an experimental pill prevented the spread of a measles-like virus. The treatment worked against transmission through both direct contact and shared air. It also significantly shortened the duration of illness and the contagious period. Researchers are now pre...

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🚀 Wow, auroras (okay, aurorae...) on Mars!

MAVEN has discovered how certain auroras form above Mars. A miniature version of the so-called Dungey cycle accelerates electrons there. This happens above strongly magnetized regions of the crust, allowing the glowing phenomenon to become visible. It's similar to Earth's northern and southern light...

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⌛ Were these monks secretly drinking cola already?!

An old recipe containing coca leaves and kola nuts has been discovered at a monastery in Florence, Italy. The remedy was used to treat fatigue, headaches, and weakness. Its ingredients closely resemble those of an American medicine that later became the basis for Coca-Cola. However, no direct connec...

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🧪 Resistant hospital bacterium can (still) be defeated

Researchers have discovered a weak spot in a major antibiotic-resistant hospital bacterium. By disabling an enzyme, the cell wall that protects it becomes completely disrupted. As a result, an existing antibiotic suddenly becomes effective again. Further research will now have to determine whether t...

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🚀 Black holes betrayed by flashing starlight

The Roman telescope will search for flashes of light from stars being torn apart by black holes. Thanks to its wide field of view, the telescope can monitor vast portions of the sky at the same time. This will allow astronomers to find more black holes and map how they grow. Oh, and the mission will...

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⌛ Check your backpack... for cannonballs!

Heading out on a trip? You might want to check your luggage first, because before you know it, there could be a stray – or stolen – centuries-old musket ball inside. Five antique cannonballs were recently discovered in a suitcase at an airport in Alabama. The cannonballs turned out to have been stol...

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🚀 Poor thing, the Red Potato never gets a chance to thrive :'(

The galaxy known as the Red Potato lies about 11.5 billion light-years from Earth and is producing almost no new stars. That's because a neighboring black hole is firing a powerful jet at the gas surrounding the galaxy. As a result, the gas becomes turbulent and struggles to flow inward. In other wo...

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🧪 Does AI have consciousness? (nope!!1!)

Researchers recently discovered patterns inside Anthropic's AI system Claude (you know, the alternative to ChatGPT) that resemble a mental workspace. However, such signals do not prove that an AI suddenly has feelings or subjective experiences. For now, it appears to be mostly hype, although the sci...

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⌛ The Koreans kept domestic chickens much earlier

Researchers have discovered that chickens in Korea were already being cared for by humans at least 2,000 years ago. They used a technique to analyze bones and identify chickens. The animals were fed by humans and likely lived on their farms...

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🚀 The polar ice caps are melting!1!! (on Mars)

It is currently spring on Mars, which means the ice present on the polar caps is melting. In the process, it is revealing all kinds of new details about the surface. Scientists use these images to study wind and seasons. The polar caps mainly consist of water ice and dry ice that are constantly chan...

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🧪 Can we soon stay young forever?

Scientists have compared two small animals to better understand the concept of aging. The outcome shows that hydra stays young through constant cell renewal, while rotifers deteriorate much faster. Researchers now want to modify certain genes. The goal is not eternal life, but staying healthy longer...

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⌛ Possessing: a gold treasure in a Byzantine shipwreck

Off the coast of Croatia lies a Byzantine shipwreck dating to the seventh or eighth century. Archaeologists discovered numerous gold coins, jewelry, and a signet ring. These valuable finds point to the presence of a high-ranking individual. The wreck is helping researchers understand how the Byzanti...

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🚀 Europe wants to save us (much faster)!

ESA is currently exploring plans for an ultra-fast and affordable mission to dangerous asteroids. A small probe would be sent out at short notice to collect crucial data. That information would then help us better prepare any possible response. Five proposals will receive support for further study...

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